


It was Love at First Bite, Kagome

by Fawn_Eyed_Girl



Series: The Seven Sins of Kagome [5]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Consensual Sex, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Food Kink, Food Porn, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Ramen, Rival Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:46:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26626174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fawn_Eyed_Girl/pseuds/Fawn_Eyed_Girl
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome are rival ramen chefs who keep showing up at the same festivals. Each thinks their ramen is the best. They don't realize what they're really in a competition for is each other's heart.Nominated forBest NSFWandBest AU/ARfor the 4Q Inuyasha Fandom Awards, hosted byThe Feudal Connection!
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha, Miroku/Sango (InuYasha)
Series: The Seven Sins of Kagome [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931368
Comments: 158
Kudos: 107
Collections: Inuyasha's Seven Deadly Sins





	1. Kichijoji Autumn Festival

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime. 
> 
> Hello everyone! Welcome to the first chapter of my entry for Pride in the [Inuyasha's Seven Deadly Sins](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Inuyasha_Sins) collection. I'm super excited to bring this story of rival ramen chefs and food porn to all of you!
> 
> Special thanks to [NeutronStarChild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeutronStarChild/pseuds/NeutronStarChild), [Ruddcatha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruddcatha/pseuds/Ruddcatha), [Laeoukka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laeoukka/pseuds/Laeoukka), and [gribedli](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gribedli) for your incredibly helpful insights. Thank you for helping me make this fic what it is.
> 
> For information on the festival, as well as the ramen that Inuyasha and Kagome are cooking up, please see the chapter end notes!
> 
> And of course, please enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome's ramen booth is doing well, but she keeps hearing about another booth that is serving up staple dishes. She sends Miroku to investigate, and later does a little reconnaissance of her own.

It was a warm and sunny day in Kichijoji. The Autumn Festival was in full swing. 

And Higurashi Kagome was ready.

For the past year, Kagome had been the proud owner of Aoi Nami, a small ramen shop in Koenji. She had moderate popularity there among the locals, but was always looking for ways to expand her business. Starting in the spring, she had begun bringing just a few of her signature dishes to festivals throughout Japan (well, on the main island, anyway), trying to drum up new customers. Even if they weren’t in Tokyo, they could still hand out business cards and get people to remember their name.

That day, Kagome had brought three of her favorite dishes: bacon and egg ramen, kimchi ramen, and roast chicken dinner ramen. She had spent the last few days building up her stores, so that she would be ready to serve up hundreds of ramen dishes. She cooked the chicken rotisserie style; she made the kimchi from scratch; she prepared all the herbs and vegetables ahead of time that she could. She also loaded up on bacon and eggs, which would have to be made fresh, but it would be worth it. 

Right at sunrise, Kagome and her best sous chef, Miroku, set up their booth along the main thoroughfare of the festival. They ran a blue banner across the top that was painted with a beautiful white wave, with the name of the restaurant on another banner that they hooked below the counter. They then filled the booth with their stores, and they made piles and piles of bowls and spoons and chopsticks and napkins. Several hours of labor later, she and Miroku looked at each other, satisfied. They were ready.

The highlight of the Autumn Festival was the procession of the mikoshi, which began promptly at 11. The teams lined up with their mikoshi, their chants ready to go. It was, as always, a wild, raucous affair, with the teams going into loud, explosive chants when they met up. The procession went down the main streets of Kichijoji and along the surrounding streets; the sidelines were packed with people hoping to get a glimpse of the different shrines and all the teams in their vibrant uniforms. The procession was done a little after 1; after that, the crowd began to disperse, and people started looking for food. Kagome watched the crowd eagerly. The morning was slow, because of the procession, but now, things at Aoi Nami were bound to pick up.

As the post-procession customers came to the counter, the line grew longer and longer, and Kagome and Miroku were incredibly busy, trying to keep up with demand. Kagome loved the rush of the crowd; she loved the heat of the hot plate under the pan, the way that the oil sizzled when it collided with the metal surface, and the way that the onions and vegetables hit the pans with a hiss and a whoosh and a whir of air and steam. Kagome loved the way that the beef fat sizzled and mixed with the vegetables, and the way that it crackled when she added the kimchi. One ear was listening to Miroku, who was cooking up the bacon and egg ramen. They had large pots with the soup base; when the vegetables and proteins were ready, Kagome and Miroku added everything together and then let it all cook. They plated it up, grabbed napkins, chopsticks, and a spoon, and handed over the ramen. One after another, all day long, this is what they were doing.

And while they had a steady stream of clientele, Kagome couldn’t help but overhear snippets of conversations from the customers. 

“The ramen at Kufuku no Inu is more comfort food, less fancy,” Kagome heard one customer say. “This is really good, but it’s expensive and I would rather just have had the shoyu.”

Comments like this made Kagome want to scream. Couldn’t people understand the glory of fresh bacon and eggs? Couldn’t people understand the complexities of flavor, not just the plain, same old foods, day in and out? Kagome wanted to bring the masses something new and exciting in ramen ryori—something people would remember.

And while the compliments were there, she kept hearing about...Kufuku no Inu.

So, she sent Miroku over to scope out the competition. 

Miroku was only too happy to oblige. Ever since Kagome had heard the comments about the rival ramen booth, she’d been sour. Her confidence didn’t take much to shake it, especially when she perceived a slight to her cuisine. And that’s what she was getting, over and over, even though her food was good— _ no _ , amazing—and she should have every confidence in the world.

Once MIroku had a chance to take a break, he slipped out into the crowd. It was a warm day, and there were hundreds of people milling about the festival. He asked a few people with ramen if they had gotten it at Kufuku no Inu, and it took awhile, but he finally found someone who could point him in the right direction. Kufuku no Inu was a small, nondescript booth in a far corner of the festival: a red banner with a crudely drawn white dog on it, the restaurant’s name written lazily in the same white paint on a red banner beneath the counter. The line stretched several rows back. Miroku wandered around the booth; he noticed that there was no menu. How did people know what to order? What kind of place was this?

He sighed and went to stand in line with the rest of the crowd. He didn’t like leaving Kagome alone for that long, but he didn’t have much of a choice. She wanted to know who was the big hit of the festival, and it looked like Kufuku no Inu was it. 

Forty-five minutes later, he finally reached the front of the line. What he saw made him gasp.

A beautiful, pleasant-faced young woman was standing at the counter. “Hello,” she said to him, “what can we get for you?”

“I’m—sorry?” said Miroku. “There’s not a menu?”

“Don’t need a fucking menu to know what you want at a ramen shop, baka,” said a gruff, grouchy voice from behind the woman. Miroku looked past her, and Miroku gasped again. There, at the cooktop, was a  _ hanyou _ . And if the ears told him anything, an  _ inu hanyou _ . Because they were what Miroku could only describe as adorable, white, fluffy Akita ears.

“We have shoyu, miso, and shio ramen,” the young woman said to him. “Proteins are typical. What do you want?”

“Umm…” Miroku wasn’t prepared for the simplicity of the menu.  _ This  _ is what people were raving about?

“I’ll take one of each,” he said. “The shoyu with pork, the miso with tofu, and the shio with chicken.”

The young woman jotted all that down on her pad, tore the paper off, and attached it to a metal rod above the cooktop. The hanyou looked at it, grunted, and went on with his work. “Your order number is 21,” she said. “And that’ll be a thousand yen.” Miroku almost fell over. That was it? For  _ three _ dishes?

He handed over the money, and the woman counted it carefully before giving him his change. “Please wait on the other side,” she told him politely, “Inuyasha will have your ramen ready for you in just a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” he said, smiling at the woman. She offered him a polite, if slightly annoyed, grin, and pointed in the direction he should go to wait before taking the next order.

Miroku followed the crowd around to the side of the booth. There, he could see the hanyou— _ Inuyasha _ , he thought the young woman had called him—hard at work. 

And Miroku had to admit, his work ethic was stunning.

Like Miroku and Kagome, Inuyasha had most of his ingredients prepped. He had three pots of broth that he was keeping on low on burners on a side table, so he could keep the cooktop free. Miroku watched, fascinated, as Inuyasha emptied several bins of vegetables into the two pans in front of him, the sizzling oil not causing him any concern. He stirred them expertly with chopsticks, and when they were ready, he added in his proteins. Chicken and tofu were already cooked; the beef and pork he heated up right in the pan. When it was ready, he took out several bowls, ladled out the appropriate amount of broth for each kind of ramen, added the ingredients, then went to the cooler and took out several boiled eggs, which he proceeded to slice in half and place into the bowls. He grunted out the order number, and each person stepped forward, one-by-one, to collect their meals.

What impressed Miroku the most was how quick Inuyasha was. His fingers were nimble and worked the chopsticks easily and effortlessly, mixing the ingredients in the pan like they were extensions of his fingers. He looked at each ticket once and was able to perfectly capture every order. His plating was stunning, and he was careful in his speed. Before long, Miroku’s order was up. Inuyasha handed him a bag with several pairs of chopsticks and spoons. Miroku thought about telling him not to bother, but the scowl on the hanyou’s face made him just say thank you and scurry away, his treasure in his hands. 

Before Miroku returned to Kagome, he wanted to take a moment to try each of the dishes, so he could give her a full report. Were people just flocking to this place because of the prices? Or was there something else going on?

Miroku fought his way to the dedicated seating area, and scoured out a seat. He perched at the edge of a bench crammed full of other people, and set his bag on the table, carefully removing each bowl, one by one. He was immediately drawn to the smell of the shoyu with pork. He leaned forward, and took a strong whiff of the broth. It was rich, yet delicate; scents of ginger and scallion invaded his senses. He took a spoon and dropped it into the bowl, then brought it up to his mouth, and sipped.

His entire insides exploded at the sensations of flavor rippling across his tongue. He could detect hints of sake, kombu, and mirin in the dashi: simple, familiar, yet beyond anything he’d ever tasted in his life. Eagerly, he put the spoon down and picked up his chopsticks, ready to try a piece of the pork. He picked one up carefully, and again brought it to his nose so he could savor the scent. Salt and pepper, and the scent of the dashi. He opened his mouth and carefully set the sliced pork on his tongue. 

A warm heat suddenly spread, starting at his taste buds, radiating outwards into his mouth, down his throat, through his belly, and settling in his groin. He  _ may _ have moaned aloud at how divine the pork tasted, which  _ may _ have drawn a few curious looks from other festival-goers. It was perfectly cooked: tender, juicy, with a hint of that ginger again. He reached in for another piece, and nearly swooned at how the meat melted in his mouth. He rolled it around on his tongue, allowing his taste buds to each get a hint of the flavors, enjoying the sensations he was experiencing as the pork moved from one taste bud to the next. 

He. Was. In. Heaven.

Miroku closed up the pork shoyu and went through the other bowls as well. The miso was properly spicy and salty; the tofu was firm and crispy on the outside, which was rare in restaurant tofu (and it made him want to devour it all immediately, and set his tongue wagging for more). The shio was perhaps his favorite. Deliciously salty, with tender chicken that came apart when he used just a spoon, the shio  _ did _ make him moan aloud, causing several people at the table to look at him in alarm. 

Miroku leaned forward in his seat and rested his forearms on the table. His chest was heaving, and his body was quaking. He felt a warm sensation blooming in his belly that was spreading through the rest of his body. He...he had to have more. He reached into the shio bowl and ate another piece of chicken, this time mixing it with some of the vegetables, and his eyes promptly rolled back into his head from the ecstasy of the flavor palate he was experiencing. His body was tensing up; his mind was going blank; his cock was...was it growing hard?

Was he getting turned on by this food? 

Immediately his thoughts turned to the young woman who had taken his order. So beautiful, with warm brown eyes and a long brown ponytail. He...needed to know her. He needed to know the goddess who ran a ramen shop with the most insanely delicious food he’d ever tried. 

He…

He had to tell Kagome. And fast.

But first…

He needed to get up from the table. And for that to happen...

He needed his erection to go down.

* * *

  
“Kagome,” Miroku said, coming back into the booth and closing the curtain behind him, “you’re not gonna believe this ramen booth that I found. It’s  _ insanely _ good.”

Kagome scoffed. “I hardly believe that, Miroku,” she said. “ _ We’re _ amazing. Yes, thank you, here’s your change,” Kagome said to the customer at the counter. She turned and looked at Miroku. “Don’t just stand there,” she hissed, tossing his apron at him. “I need your help, please!”

Miroku sighed and put his apron on. “Aren’t you even going to  _ try _ what I brought?” he asked her. “I brought one of each dish.”

“As soon as it calms down a little bit, I will,” she promised. She turned to the next customer at the counter. “Hello, can I take your order please?” she asked.

Miroku rolled his eyes. That food….it was gonna blow her mind…

In more ways than one.

The rest of the afternoon was busy. Kagome and Miroku were serving up order after order, and Kagome didn’t have time to stop and taste the food from the Kufuku no Inu. Miroku kept trying to motivate her, but Kagome refused. She played it off as being busy, but the reality was that she was nervous. Scared. That someone else’s food was better than hers. That someone else might be a better chef than her.

Finally, Miroku was able to convince Kagome to take a few minutes to try the bowls from the rival ramen shop. Kagome sat just outside the back of the booth, ready to run back in if Miroku needed her. She opened the first bowl—shoyu with pork. She leaned over and gave the shoyu a massive inhale. 

_ Gods _ , the broth—the dashi, the ginger, the scallions. It ticked the inside of her nose and warmed her, all the way down into her lungs. That was a...surprise. 

She took her spoon and dipped it lightly in the broth, then brought the spoon up to her lips. Kagome closed her eyes, and took a sip.

The way the flavors burst onto her tongue was insane. Kagome let out a gasp, then clapped her hand over her mouth in case anyone heard. She took a little more of the broth onto her spoon, then closed her eyes, and took another sip. 

This time she did let out a moan. Who made broth like this? It was positively, delightfully,  _ sinful _ .

She wanted this poured all over her body, so someone could lick it off. She wanted…

She wanted all of it. 

Kagome took out her chopsticks and dipped them in, removing a piece of pork, She was almost afraid of how it would taste...but yet, she couldn’t stay away.

The pork was tangy, salty, peppery, with a hint of ginger, and the rush of the dashi infused within. The pork was so tender that she was able to tear it apart easily with her teeth; the juices ran over and dribbled down her chin. She let out a little gasp and ran her tongue along her lips, lapping up the extra liquid. So..sweet. So...wonderful.

As Kagome opened the other bowls and tried them as well, she found herself being swept away by the magnitude of flavor in each bite. She imagined herself at the beach, in the water; she was being lifted up, up, on a wave, and then as she swallowed, she crashed back down to the sand. The rush, the thrill, of every bite had her rushing back for more. The saltiness of the shio brought her to the saltiness of the ocean; she now pictured laying in the waves, and letting them run over her as they sought out her most delicate parts. They embraced her coolly, as the broth and the meats caressed her tongue. 

Kagome leaned back against the booth, breathing harshly, allowing the food to fill her: body, mind, and soul.

She opened her eyes. She had to know. Who made food this amazing? Who were they? Why had she never heard of the Kufuku no Inu before?

Whoever it was, she had to find out.

* * *

Kagome was on a reconnaissance mission. 

She left Miroku in charge of the booth; she knew that he could handle a few minutes without her. He described the location of the booth as best he could; it wasn’t hard for her to find it. Kufuku no Inu was set back from the main drag; a bright red banner with a white dog crudely drawn on it was stretched over the booth, and another red banner, this one with the restaurant’s name written thickly, decorated the counter. Kagome couldn’t decide if she wanted to smile or scowl. Was it ridiculously childish? Or adorable? It bothered her that she couldn’t figure it out.

The line was  _ long _ . But Kagome wasn’t terribly interested in buying more food from them. She wandered around the front of the booth; there, she saw a pretty young woman with long brown hair taking orders, and then directing people around to the side of the booth. That’s who was making the food.  _ That’s _ where she needed to go.

Kagome wandered around to the side. She saw that the booth was open there, a rush of steam shooting out from the opening. People were crowded around, trying to see in. Kagome politely pushed her way through the crowd, moving nimbly to the front. She looked over people’s shoulders, trying to see the chef who was causing such an uproar. 

It was a man... _ no _ . 

Not a man. Or, not  _ just _ a man, anyway.

A hanyou.

An inu hanyou, if looks were to be believed. And  _ incredibly handsome _ inu hanyou. His long silver hair was tied back in a fierce bun; his golden eyes focused entirely on the work he was doing. He wore a perpetual scowl: his eyebrows furrowed, his face in a frown. But his ears—his ears!

Adorable, fluffy, triangle-shaped ears that Kagome found herself longing to touch. Her fingers started to itch, started to reach forward…

“Oi!” came the annoyed shout. “What in the  _ hells _ do you think you’re doing, woman?”

Kagome stepped back. “I—I’m sorry,” she said, her face cast down. “I—I don’t know what came over myself.”

“Keh,” he said, “if you’re not here to pick up an order, you need to get the  _ fuck _ out of my way.”

His sharp and condescending tone made Kagome’s spirit renew, and her eyes narrowed. “I’m not here to pick up an order,” she told him. “I’m here to let you know—you may  _ think _ you’re the best ramen shop on the festival circuit, but I have news for you, Kufuku no Inu, I am here, and I am coming for you.”

Inuyasha stopped—actually  _ stopped _ —in the middle of his stir fry, and broke into raucous laughter. “I’m—I’m sorry,” he said, wiping his eyes with glee, “but are you a  _ chef _ ?”

Kagome nodded. “Higurashi Kagome,” she said, “owner of the Aoi Nami, the best ramen fusion shop in Tokyo.”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Whatever, woman,” he said. “I’ve been doing this for longer than you’ve been alive. Whatever you’re making, I can assure you: it don’t hold a candle to what I’m cooking up here.”

Kagome’s eyes narrowed.

This. Was.  _ War. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aoi Nami: Blue Wave  
> Kufuku no Inu: Hungry Dog
> 
> Check out [hopidoodle's](https://hopidoodle.tumblr.com/) [amazing fan art](https://hopidoodle.tumblr.com/post/632091388457222146/just-in-time-for-the-final-chapters-well-a-few): a wonderful representation of the festival, and our favorite ramen chefs!
> 
> Inuyasha and Kagome are attending the [Kichijoji Autumn Festival](https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/how-to-celebrate-the-kichijoji-autumn-festival-in-tokyo/), which is traditionally held early in September.
> 
> For the festival, Kagome's menu features [bacon and egg ramen](https://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/bacon-and-egg-ramen-recipe), [kimchi ramen](https://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/kimchi-ramen-recipe), and [roast chicken dinner ramen](https://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/roast-chicken-dinner-ramen-recipe).
> 
> Inuyasha's menu features [Shoyu ramen](https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a26258249/homemade-ramen-recipe/), [miso ramen](https://www.justonecookbook.com/homemade-chashu-miso-ramen/), and [shio ramen](https://japan.recipetineats.com/home-made-shio-ramen/). All much more traditional dishes, as befits our favorite hanyou, who doesn't do well with change 🤣
> 
> Thanks so much for reading--I hope you enjoyed this first chapter! The second chapter will be released next Thursday, Oct. 1!


	2. Yokohama Sparkling Twilight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sango does a little reconnaissance, and is not prepared for what she finds. And when she shares her findings with Inuyasha, he is...similarly surprised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! Welcome to Chapter 2 of It was Love at First Bite, Kagome! I am so happy to bring you this chapter! Please enjoy!

All week, Inuyasha had been unable to get her out of his head.

The woman who showed up at their ramen booth the weekend before, who claimed to be the owner of the “best ramen fusion shop” (whatever the fuck that meant) in Tokyo. And what was its name? Aki Kami? Something like that?

He may not have been able to remember the name of the shop, but he sure as shit remembered the name of the woman who had watched him so intently, who had reached for his ears like he was a puppy and she was an eager little girl…

Higurashi. Higurashi Kagome. 

He might have been extremely pissed off in the moment (because _no one_ fucking touched his ears... _no fucking one_ ), but if he was being honest with himself (and he rarely was), she was easily the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. 

Hair like shiny, fresh-from-the-earth coal; eyes deeper and brighter than the sea surrounding the Maldives (he should know; he’d been there, several times); a heart-shaped face that reminded him of a perfect peach; lips the color of a Pink Lady apple. And, her scent: like a warm, fresh, strawberry rhubarb pie. He may have wondered if that’s how she tasted, too.

And since he was being honest with himself, had it been a different situation—had she _not_ just invaded his work space and informed him that she was “coming for him”...he might have let her. Stroke his ears, that is. 

He was supposed to be helping Sango set up the booth; really, he was. But instead, he was scouring the park, looking for _her._ The woman who had both infuriated him and set his soul ablaze. 

He was looking for Higurashi Kagome.

Inuyasha knew: he could have Googled her, he could have found out who she was, what restaurant she owned. He could have. But he was an inu hanyou, and inu youkai were known for being set in their ways. In the past, when Inuyasha wanted to find someone, he relied on scent.

And now, he did the same thing. Strawberry rhubarb pie, with a hint of vanilla...he’d walked up and down the length of the thoroughfare several times, but nothing. Maybe she wasn’t there, maybe she only did a limited number of festivals, maybe she….

_Was by the pier._

Inuyasha turned and raced back through the park, following the lead on her scent. Sure enough, when he rounded the corner and arrived at the pier, her scent became even stronger, surrounding his entire being and permeating his senses. He looked around for her frantically, and then at last, he saw her: at the dock, talking with a fisherman, taking several nets of shrimp. She flashed a dazzling smile and handed the fisherman a wad of money. When the fisherman called her “beautiful woman,” Inuyasha involuntarily let out a little growl, because he felt, instinctively, that he should be the only one that she smiled like that for, that he should be the only one who called her _that_.

Kagome waved to the fisherman and left the dock to head back to the main thoroughfare and her booth. Inuyasha ducked out of sight until she passed and then followed her, keeping just out of her line of vision, until she reached her booth.

When Inuyasha saw it, he snorted and shook his head. 

Kagome’s booth was decorated with a bright blue banner; delicately painted across the top was the name of the restaurant ( _Blue Wave_! He could have kicked himself for not remembering something so simple), while the banner attached to the counter featured the outline of a wave, also deftly painted. He scoffed; putting that much effort into a stupid sign was wasted, as far as he was concerned. 

“Can you believe how fresh these shrimp are, Miroku?” Inuyasha could hear Kagome talking with someone inside their booth. He snuck around and tried both to hide and to act casual so that he could see inside their booth. What he saw made him nearly burst out laughing.

Like Kufuku no Inu, there was a side table set up with three giant tubs of broth. Each was clearly labeled with its contents.

_Fools,_ Inuyasha thought. _Who doesn’t know which broth is in which pot_?

“Let’s talk about how we want to set up today,” there was an amiable male voice in the booth alongside hers, and Inuyasha had to stop himself from growling. Why did he feel like he wanted to punch that guy in the face?

“I’ve got the shrimp for the spicy ramen,” Kagome said softly. “It’s gonna be amazing to be able to put such fresh shrimp in our ramen!”

Miroku laughed. “This was a brilliant idea, Kagome,” he complimented her. 

Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes. _Fresh shrimp ain’t gonna make your dish taste better_ , he thought. 

She would see.

Higurashi Kagome might have a pretty sign, and fresh shrimp, and highly kissable lips (wait, _what_? Focus, Inuyasha!), but she was _not_ the best ramen chef at Yokohama Sparkling Twilight.

That title belonged to Taisho Inuyasha.

* * *

Inuyasha sighed as he completed several orders of ramen. The lines in front of Kufuku no Inu had been long all day; Sango had been busy taking orders, and Inuyasha had been busy serving them up. They had barely had a chance to breathe. 

“Inuyasha,” Sango said to him softly as she handed him yet another order ticket, “what do you know about Aoi Nami?”

Inuyasha froze. “No—nothing,” he choked out. “Why?”

“Well,” Sango frowned, “I keep hearing that their dishes are really divine, especially the miso seafood ramen.”

“Keh,” Inuyasha said carelessly, “ain’t no way their stuff compares to ours.”

“Still,” Sango insisted, “Maybe I should go and check out the competition. Will you be all right here...by yourself?” she added, her face still fixed in a frown. 

“Do you not know me, woman?” he exclaimed. “How do you think I got along all these years running shop without you?”

“I really can’t say that I know,” Sango shot back. “You had no customers and you spent all your time hanging around the front door, barking and scowling at people to come in.”

“But once they did,” Inuyasha countered proudly, “they kept coming back.”

Sango rolled her eyes. “You need to know what the competition is offering if you want to stay on top,” she told him. “Let me go get a few dishes and bring them back so we can see what they’re making.”

“Fine,” Inuyasha said, “but you’ll see. The freshest shrimp in the world won’t fix her ramen.”

Sango stilled. “What do you mean, ‘The freshest shrimp in the world won’t fix her ramen’?” she asked. “Who’s ‘she,’ and how do you know that ‘her’ shrimp is fresh?”

Inuyasha turned bright red and went back to making ramen bowls. “I don’t mean a goddamn thing,” he huffed. “Go if ya want. I’ll be fine.”

Sango decided not to belabor the point. “Great,” she said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Don’t scare all the customers away.”

“Just get going if that’s what you want to do,” he scowled, vigorously stirred the vegetables in the pan with his chopsticks.

Sango sighed as she slipped out of the booth, trying to remember why she had decided to go to work at Kufuku no Inu, and whether or not she could get Inuyasha to get her a raise.

* * *

Sango found Aoi Nami very quickly. There was a huge crowd surrounding the booth, and she kept hearing people talk about how amazing the ramen was and how the line was worth the wait. Sango scoffed; she knew it couldn’t be as good as Kufuku no Inu, but she was willing to humor the crowd and try it for herself. She noticed that there were several menus set up along the line, so people could look at them and think about what they wanted. The menu was limited: spicy shrimp ramen, miso seafood ramen, and fish and ramen, but each looked equally interesting. Sango also noticed the prices—more than twice as high as Kufuku no Inu. She smirked, got in line, and waited. 

Sango was surprised at how quickly the line moved. It was smooth and efficient, and Sango hardly had to stand still in one spot at all. When she reached the front, she was greeted by a pretty woman with long black hair tied up in a ponytail, and the brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen. “Welcome to Aoi Nami,” she said enthusiastically. “What can I get for you?”

“I’ll have one of each of your bowls,” Sango said. 

“Wonderful!” the woman replied. “That will be twenty-five hundred yen.” Sango nearly choked at the price, but handed the woman several bills. “Your order is number 69,” she said. “Please wait to the side and Miroku will call your order number when it’s ready.”

Sango nodded and stepped off to the side so the next person could order. She peered into the booth and saw that the woman had moved to the back of the stall momentarily to help plate up a few dishes. There was a young man next to her; Sango couldn’t see his face, but his dark hair was pulled back in a low ponytail, and she could have sworn she saw a flash of earrings. She watched, fascinated, as he effortlessly whipped up the vegetables in the dish; Sango could hear the sizzle of the raw onion, ginger, and garlic as they hit the oil in the pan. He wasn’t as fluid as Inuyasha, but this chef definitely had his own style. 

The wait was maybe half as long as it would be at Kufuku no Inu; the woman and man working together, while the woman took orders, definitely helped speed up the process. Before Sango knew it, her order was called and she strode up to the counter to pick it up.

“Order 69?” she said. 

The man with the ponytail handed her the bag. His eyes grew wide when he saw her, and he offered her a little smirk. 

“Order 69,” he said meaningfully, and with a wink. “Enjoy.”

The way he looked at her—like he knew every inch of her—made Sango shiver a bit. Did she know him from somewhere?

“Thanks,” she muttered, and took the bags with her ramen from his outstretched hand. Sango turned to leave; she knew she should get back to Inuyasha (who had probably torn down the booth and was about to be arrested by now), but the temptation of the ramen was too great. Instead of scurrying back to Kufuku no Inu, Sango found a spot in the dedicated seating area of the festival, set up her bowls, and took out some chopsticks, a spoon, and a napkin.

She opened the ramen with fish first. Sango leaned forward and inhaled the broth gently; it was light, delicate, and tickled the inside of her nose—not so much that she sneezed, but rather, it brought her in even more closely. The fish was a whitefish—probably flathead—and she started there, picking up a piece with her chopsticks and setting it in her mouth.

The flakiness of the meat nearly brought her to tears immediately. It was so tender, and soft, and juicy, and without a single bone. Sango tasted hints of sesame oil, and ginger, and her tongue pulsed in response to the way the fish spread over her taste buds. She took the spoon and dipped it into the broth, brought the spoon up to her lips, blew gently, and took a sip. 

Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head at the overwhelming combination of flavors. The broth looked so simple, smelled so lovely and delicate—and yet, the complexity of the flavor blew her away. The hint of fish, combined with the dashi, the ginger, the scallion, and just a hint of soy sauce... _no_. There was something different about it...something she hadn’t quite tasted before.

Sango dipped her spoon in a second time and took another sip. She let out a little moan before she could stop it, causing the broth to run down her face and her neck; she darted her tongue out to lick it all up. Her body began to get warm; her insides became tense and coiled. 

She needed to have _more_.

Sango quickly closed the fish and ramen bowl and opened up the next two. The spicy shrimp wasn’t so much spicy as it was flavorful; the sriracha, honey, and soy sauce blended together perfectly and caressed her taste buds. One bite of the shrimp and Sango was moaning again: it must have been the shrimp that Inuyasha was muttering about as being “fresh,” because holy hells, it was so tender and perfectly cooked she could imagine it jumped right from the ocean and into a hot pan. She barely needed to bite down; it melted away, over her teeth and her tongue and right down her throat. 

But the best was what Sango saved for last. The dish she’d heard them raving about in line at Kufuku no Inu. The miso seafood ramen.

Sango immediately recognized this dish as a Sapporo standard; she had to give it to the owner for thinking outside the box and bringing a Hokkaido dish to Tokyo for a seafood festival. It was really quite brilliant; many of the people at the festival would never have seen anything like this before. The bowl smelled of fish, and warmth, and comfort; she closed her eyes as she leaned forward and inhaled. It made her picture cold winter nights spent under the kotatsu, reading a book or watching television. It filled her senses so wholly, so completely, that it was all she could see; it was all she could smell. 

She had to taste it, touch it, let it fill her insides with pleasure. 

Sango dipped her spoon into the broth, catching a piece of squid, and took it all into her mouth. She gasped and adjusted herself on the bench as the flavors started to take hold of her senses more fully. It _tasted_ of the beach on a cold day (how did she even know what that was?); it warmed her body from the inside out, leaving her hot and begging for more. The squid was a feast for her mouth; every bite into the tender meat released a sweet juice that blended beautifully with the broth. 

Sango sighed; her breasts were heaving with the intensity of the flavor, the scent, the sensation, the _sight_ , of this food. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. 

She _had_ to get this food back to Inuyasha. Immediately.

* * *

Sango could _hear_ the Kufuku no Inu owner before she could even see the booth. She let out a soft, frustrated sigh, the high she experienced from eating the delectable Aoi Nami ramen crashing quickly. 

“I said, what the fuck do you want!?” she heard Inuyasha demanding of a customer. “I only got three things on the menu. Which is it?”

Sango quickly slipped back into the booth and shoved Inuyasha aside. “Here,” she said. “Take five minutes and check out the competition.”

“Keh,” he said, thrusting the bag back at her, “I’m fine.”

“You’re yelling at the customers, Inuyasha!” Sango hissed. “You are _not_ fine. I will take over—and yes, Inuyasha, I _do_ know how to use the cooktop, thank you very much,” she added when she saw him about to open his mouth to protest. “You need a _break_. Take five or ten. The world isn’t going to end if I have to stir-fry some vegetables.”

“Keh,” he said again, but he knew she was right. “Gimme the damn bag.”

Sango handed it over. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she told him, her brown eyes twinkling. “Now, go out back, _sit_ , and relax for a bit!”

Inuyasha grumbled, hustled out of the booth, and settled himself down out back. He could already hear Sango attempting to smooth things over with the stupid customer he had yelled at. He smiled a little: at least one of them had a bit of sense. He settled down and crossed his legs carefully. Inuyasha reached into the bag and removed a pair of chopsticks, which he cracked apart, a spoon, and a napkin. Then, he lifted out the first bowl and opened it.

The overwhelming, yet delicate, scent of fish drove into his senses, causing his eyes to blink and his chest to rumble. What...what was that?

The bone broth had a myriad of fantastic scents radiating from it: flathead, cod, ginger, a hint of sesame oil and the sweetness of carrot. The way the scents mixed, he was pretty sure they had been stir-fried together first, so that the spices would release, and then cooked with the broth. That made the spice signature different, and unique; that much was for sure. Not many people would recognize this technique. However, whatever this Higurashi Kagome had done, it couldn’t be better than what he made at Kufuku no Inu. Inuyasha dipped his spoon into the broth and brought it to his lips. His tongue darted out to taste it, and his eyes snapped open, wide.

Inuyasha let out a growl and shoved the entire spoon into his mouth.

It was so light, so subtle, and yet...so full of flavor; it made Inuyasha’s eyes glaze over in delight. He had often wondered what it would be like to have a woman cook for him, and he could... _taste her_ … in this broth. The softness of the blending of spices, the tantalizing scent that drew him in, deeper and deeper…

Inuyasha growled more loudly and picked up a piece of fish with his spoon. There was no way...no way that this could be as good as _his_ fish. He drew the broth and the fish into his mouth and bit down; promptly tearing into the delicate flesh of the flathead. The explosion of the meat across his tongue made him nearly groan aloud; it went straight to his cock and made him rock-hard. His entire body tensed up at the way it only took his tongue to take apart the tender flesh. There were no bones; there was no cartilage. Only the yielding, gentle flavors of the broth, the fish, and _him_. 

Inuyasha.

Did he...did he _love_ this dish? Did he want _more_?

Godfuckingdammit, he did.

But he...would be a good inu hanyou, and put his desires aside, to taste the next dish. 

The spicy shrimp he was hesitant to touch, because of the heat, so instead he turned to the miso seafood ramen. He lifted the lid off that one, and was immediately swept away by the _depth_ of the scent. It was overwhelming, and surrounded him completely; he felt as though he was being lifted up, up, and up by the weaving of the sardines, the shrimp, the squid, the kelp, the mushroom—all of it. There was so much, and at the same time, it was not enough, and he now closed his eyes as he swayed, his body begging for him to taste the ramen, to see if it felt as good inside of him as it did outside, the scent alone enough to draw him into the delectable, multilayered, shimmering folds of broth.

Inuyasha dipped his spoon into the soup, picking up the sweet juice, catching a squid as he brought the spoon up to his lips. He leaned forward, and sipped, dragging the squid into his mouth with one fang. 

When his fang pressed into the squid, inside his mouth, the meat burst, and Inuyasha _moaned_. 

The slight sweetness of flavor pulsing from the torn flesh mixed with the hearty broth and stroked the inside of his mouth, starting at his tongue, emanating upwards and massaging the whole of his taste buds. Inuyasha leaned back and closed his eyes, savoring the feel of the squid as he rolled it from one fang to the other, gently teasing apart the meat so that he could soak up every delectable bit of flavor. As the squid mixed with the broth, it slowly melted in his mouth, increasing the essence of the dish in ways that made him growl with pleasure. As he swallowed, he felt the heat of the ramen dish flood his insides, from his throat, down into his belly and his groin. He sat like that for a moment, prostrate against the back of his own ramen booth, arms flung out to the sides, his cock awake and ready, reveling in the deliciousness that was Higurashi Kagome’s ramen.

Was it possible? Was her ramen better than his?

His eyes snapped open; his dick immediately softened. 

_No_.

She might have cornered the market on fucking gorgeous women who made fancy ramen dishes, but when it came down to it, plain and simple was best. 

Taisho Inuyasha would show her. 

He would _still_ be the best.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The festival Inuyasha, Sango, Kagome, and Miroku are attending is the [Yokohama Sparkling Twilight](https://tokyocheapo.com/events/yokohama-sparkling-twilight/), which is a two-day festival that usually takes place in mid-September. The highlight of the festival is the fireworks, which are held at dusk each night of the festival.
> 
> Inuyasha doesn't make different dishes for this festival (because you can't teach an inu hanyou new tricks), but Kagome has some new recipes for you to try! She makes [Spicy Shrimp Ramen](https://mikesmightygood.com/recipe/spicy-shrimp-ramen/) (which of course Inuyasha can't eat because of the spice), [Fish and Ramen Soup](https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/fish-ramen-noodle-soup/83d2240f-9806-470d-9fff-a8218a3e83ac), and the festival favorite, [Miso Seafood Ramen](https://dinnerbydennis.com/seafood-ramen/).
> 
> So, Inuyasha and Kagome have now tried each other's dishes, and they still each think that they are the best ramen chefs in Tokyo. What happens when their booths are placed across from each other at the next festival? Find out in next week's update of It was Love at First Bite, Kagome, which will be Thursday, Oct. 8! Thanks everyone, so much, for reading, and I look forward to seeing you back here soon! 💖 💖


	3. Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inuyasha and Kagome discover that their ramen booths have been put close together at the Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival, and are unable to stop watching each other all day. Their observations of each other cause them to reflect on their own restaurant practices, and that perhaps, the competitive victory is personal, and not professional, in nature.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.
> 
> Hello everyone! I hope that you are safe and well. 
> 
> I am so _beyond excited_ that "It Was Love at First Bite, Kagome" was nominated for **Best NSFW** and **Best AU/AR** for the 4Q Inuyasha Fandom Awards, run by [The Feudal Connection](https://feudalconnection.tumblr.com/)! Nominations are still being accepted through Oct. 15, so be sure to get your nominations in! Voting begins Oct. 29. The story is very close to my heart, because of the research I did and my own love for food that I poured into this piece. It means so much that you are all reading and enjoying thus far! 
> 
> And now, I am so happy to bring you chapter 3 of It Was Love at First Bite! I hope you enjoy the chapter, which features a very special and beautiful commissioned work of art by [nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/)!

The Nihonmatsu Lantern Festival was one of the biggest festivals of October; people flocked from everywhere to see the beautiful lantern displays, pray at the shrine, and try all the delicious foods that were available at the vendor stalls.The air was just starting to turn crisp, and the breeze was cool, instead of warm. This was Kagome’s favorite season: the smells of hot tea and fresh taiyaki, the feel of a warm kotatsu around her feet, the sight of the leaves turning vibrant colors on the trees. Summer was hot, too hot—autumn was the season of sweaters, and cute hats, and overalls. She loved fall, and she loved this festival; it was one of the few she stayed at to the very end, so she could see all the lanterns lit up, beautiful and vibrant against the night sky. This year, she even made herself a few bowls of ramen, just for her and Miroku, so they could have a chance to congratulate themselves on a job well done, and so they could have the opportunity to finally relax and enjoy their own cooking. She set them aside in the cooler, ready to be heated up later, carefully marked so she and Miroku remembered not to touch them. 

As they were setting up, though, Kagome saw a familiar, ostentatious, set of Akita-style ears popping around the booth across the way. She heard a familiar, annoyed growl, shouting obscenities at his business partner (the poor girl). 

Kagome frowned. _Just fucking perfect._ This was the last thing that she needed. 

Why the _fuck_ would the festival planning committee put two ramen booths across from each other? They would be rivals, competing for the same clientele. She let out a little growl, thinking she needed to talk to the festival planners _immediately_. 

Because she knew what this would be: it would be a whole day of hearing Inuyasha yelling at the girl he worked with, at his customers, at just about everything. A whole day of customers comparing their prices, their dishes…

_WAIT._

This was it. The _perfect_ opportunity to show who was the best ramen chef in Tokyo. This was the _perfect_ opportunity to show Kufuku no Inu that Aoi Nami could blow any ramen shop away with their delectable flavor combinations, their creative use of everyday staples, and their outstanding plating. 

When they returned to Tokyo, Aoi Nami would be the one at the top.

Not Kufuku no Inu.

* * *

All day, Kagome kept a close watch on Kufuku no Inu’s clientele. She could see that, once again, they were working without a menu; Kagome giggled to herself, knowing that the customers must be frustrated that they couldn’t see what dishes were available. She and Miroku had been busy pretty consistently; Kagome brought her three best dishes from the last two festivals: the miso seafood, the roast chicken, and the fish. She liked the idea of featuring two hearty, earthy, fall dishes, with something a little lighter (like the fish). All three had been their biggest sellers at the previous festivals, so she was curious to see how they would do when featured together.

Kagome had to admit: Kufuku no Inu was doing _very_ well. She knew part of it was their low prices, but part of it was also because the food was pretty damn delicious. Not as much as Aoi Nami, but still…pretty good.

And she also had to admit: she really enjoyed watching Inuyasha work the cooktop. She could easily see him from her vantage point at the counter; he was behind Sango, whipping his chopsticks expertly through the vegetables and proteins he stir-fried. He was a poet, carefully crafting delectable dishes like words on a page; it was beauty through the art of cooking. She found herself getting so lost in his movements that she sometimes forgot to take an order, and a customer would have to repeat it twice. She kept seeing Inuyasha’s muscles flexing through his t-shirt as he deftly stirred the vegetables and proteins in the pans, and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself on task. Miroku’s glares also did little to focus her; instead, it made the distraction worse, as she was now torn between watching Inuyasha (really, _drooling_ over Inuyasha) and apologizing to her sous chef.

As she watched the customers come and go from Kufuku no Inu, Kagome wondered if she could perhaps beat them at their own game. Her specialty was creative, interesting ramen dishes; she didn’t want to give that up. But _maybe_ she could also try to drive down the costs of production. The local fisherman she’d bought the shrimp from at the last festival (who had, somewhat embarrassingly, called her “beautiful woman” and made her blush a little) had given her an excellent price, and the shrimp had been outstanding. The fisherman had thought she was pretty, which was maybe a little bothersome? But regardless, perhaps she and Miroku could talk with that fisherman, and with other local fishermen too. Maybe she could even set up a contract, and continue to get that same super-fresh shrimp and other seafood for half the price? And what if she sent other businesses their way? Then she could help out some of the local fishermen, _and_ help lower her own costs.

Kagome smiled. It was a good plan. She’d get in touch with that fisherman Monday and start to make arrangements.

Lost in her thoughts, Kagome had not been paying attention to where she was looking, until, across the thoroughfare, eyes met. Gold captured sapphire, and _he_ gave her a smirk and a wink. Kagome blushed, and quickly looked away, back at her customer, who she smiled at and politely took their order.

When she took the order back to Miroku, Kagome let out a little grumble. Honestly, how _dare_ Taisho Inuyasha look at her like that! Like she was his to flirt with? Like he only had eyes for her? 

Kagome took the next orders from Miroku and brought them back to the counter, absentmindedly calling out the numbers and handing over the takeout bags to the customers. Her eyes caught Inuyasha again, hard at work behind his order girl, and she blushed _again_. She couldn’t help but want to feel those arms around her; she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to massage those beautiful, fluffy, downy-white puppy ears. Would he growl? Would he stamp his foot against the ground furiously—excitedly? She went from blushing to being ripe with anticipation at the thought.

 _Maybe…_ she suddenly realized...maybe there was a way to end this competition, once and for all.

With Aoi Nami crowned champion.

But...would Aoi Nami be the only victor, if her idea went as planned? Or could she come out with a win, too? Of a more... _personal_...nature?

As Kagome smiled again, more to herself than at the customer, she didn’t notice that a certain pair of golden eyes still watched her, and a pair of fluffy white ears followed her every movement.

* * *

Inuyasha was _thrilled_ to have his booth across from Aoi Nami for the last festival of the year. This was his chance to show that Higurashi woman that Kufuku no Inu was, hands down, the best ramen shop in Tokyo. His prices were the best; his food was the best; his business manager was the best. And he was…

Well, okay.

Maybe _he_ wasn’t the big draw, exactly. But at least he wasn’t chasing the customers away. Not today, anyway.

But he was really, really, fucking distracted.

Because every time he looked up, he saw _her._ And he could only see her, no matter where else he tried to look. His mind refused to see anything else.

He kept coming back to her flashing sapphire eyes; to her shining, coal-black hair; and _fuck_ , to that _smile_. 

Every time she offered it to a male customer, he let out a low, feral-sounding growl. Every time he saw her eyes sparkle when she took an order, he wanted to leap over the booth counter and barrel his way over to her and bury his face in her thick, gorgeous hair, so he could inhale her and all the spices she cooked with.

 _Gods,_ he groaned inwardly (and repeatedly, all day), _she must smell so fucking divine right now._

He also kept a close watch on the range of customers coming and going from Aoi Nami. He was surprised to see that the Higurashi woman had such a wide variety in her clientele. He had thought it would be mostly hipsters, given the location of her shop. But in fact, he saw people of all ages, and from very different backgrounds, placing orders, and he could tell by their scents and by their comments that they really enjoyed it. He noticed that his own clientele tended to be older, and definitely more traditional; many of them were wearing kimonos and yukatas as they ordered from Sango.

Inuyasha growled, and wondered why that was. Why did Higurashi have such a wide range of customers? Why did he seem to pull from just one customer base? Didn’t people like comfortable, traditional food?

_Keh. Fools._

Although maybe…he could try to integrate one or two more creative dishes. Maybe Sango had some ideas. She was pretty fucking smart.

So was Higurashi Kagome. Maybe he should ask her for advice.

And then, before he could erase that thought from his mind, his eyes caught hers from across the way. And dammit, they were so bright, so vibrant, so piercing.

It was like they could see right through to his soul.

And all the gods in the holy heavens, _he liked it_.

Like, to the point where he couldn’t stop staring at her.

Maybe...maybe he would do something...nice? For her?

He scoffed and plated up a series of dishes, his ears still trained on Higurashi, so he could hear her every move.

* * *

The soft light of the lanterns cast an ethereal glow over the thoroughfare. Inuyasha and Sango were wrapping up their sales; Inuyasha was plating the last of his orders, while Sango closed up the front of the booth. Inuyasha knew that Sango was looking forward to seeing the lanterns up close, which was clearly why he was so anxious to finish up quickly. 

“I’m all cleaned up out front, Inuyasha,” Sango said, wiping her hands on her apron. “Is it okay if I go see the lanterns? I’ll come back to help you pack up.”

“Keh,” Inuyasha said. “You’ve done enough for today. Go enjoy and I’ll see ya tomorrow.”

Sango rolled her eyes. “Whatever, old dog,” she said, but she was smiling.

Sango turned to leave; Inuyasha felt her pause.

“Sango?” He asked, turning to see what had grabbed her attention.

It was the sous chef from Aoi Nami; he had a bag in his hand, and he was smiling.

“Excuse me,” he said, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips, “but, would you like to see the lanterns with me? I have some warm ramen; we can find a bench and enjoy it together.”

Inuyasha tried not to bark out a laugh; Sango turned bright red. “I’d—I’d like that, thanks,” she murmured. She turned to Inuyasha. “You _sure_ you’ll be okay?”

“Oh,” said the man, now giving her a knowing look, “he’ll be _just fine_. I’m Miroku,” he added to Sango.

“Sango,” she said, and slipped out of the booth. She turned back to Inuyasha one last time, but he gave her a gruff, silent wave, a wink, and a teasing grin to send her on her way. He had just looked away when a yelp brought his attention back to them; Miroku had his hand on Sango’s ass and was squeezing lightly. Sango was hitting him, but was _not_ removing his hand. Inuyasha let out a low growl, but since he knew that Sango could hold her own, he smiled grouchily as he watched her go. 

Inuyasha turned back to finish his clean up. He was just tying up the last of the trash to take to the dumpster when a familiar scent massaged his senses.

Strawberry...and rhubarb.

Inuyasha whirled around. It was _her._

Higurashi Kagome stood at the front of the booth, smiling sheepishly, holding a to-go bag in her hands.

“I thought maybe you’d like to share a bowl of ramen with me?” She asked. Her eyes twinkled. “Then you’ll see that my ramen is really the best.”

Inuyasha scoffed. “Your ramen ain’t the _best_ ,” he retorted. His eyes softened. “But… Sure... I’ll share some of it with you,” he added quietly, not quite meeting her gaze.

Kagome blushed, and nodded. “Come on,” she said, “there’s a good spot close to here where we can see the lanterns really well.”

Inuyasha nodded, and ducked into the back of his booth. He hadn’t told Sango, but there was a small pot simmering on the cooktop with the last of the day’s shio ramen, to which he had added chicken. He didn’t really know why he had prepared it; perhaps he had been hoping that Kagome might want to enjoy some of his ramen after the festival with him. After all, it was the _best_ . He didn’t admit it to himself, but he cooked this special for _her_. Based on the sweetness of her scent, he guessed that something salty would be just what she would love. The tenderness of chicken matched most perfectly with the shio ramen, too. 

As he plated it up, he imagined her accepting the bowl from him—shyly, of course, but those sapphire eyes would be twinkling at him, more ethereal than the night sky. He could just see her perfect, Pink Lady apple lips pursing as she brought up a spoon...the perfect little “o” they would make as she accepted the steaming broth into her mouth…

Inuyasha let out a growl, bringing his reverie to a stop. _Best ramen_ , he reminded himself. _Prove to her you make the best ramen._

But was that all he wanted to prove to her, now?

Inuyasha shook his head. He placed a lid on the bowl, pushed it down to lock it in place, and snagged some chopsticks and a spoon. He brought everything out of the booth and over to where Kagome was waiting. He held out the bowl to her.

“I—I’ve got a little bit of ramen left from today, too,” he said. His face suddenly twisted into a fanged smirk. “Betcha it’s better than what you brought me,” he added. 

“And I bet you that it’s not,” Kagome shot back. Her eyes narrowed. “Why don’t we make it a contest?” 

“What?” Inuyasha countered. “What would the winner get?”

Kagome’s lips twisted in a mischievous smile. “The loser has to make the winner dinner,” she said slowly.

“So, what?” Inuyasha retorted, coming closer to her. “You tryin’ to ask me out or something, woman?”

Kagome froze. He was so close to her; she could see herself reflected in his golden, burning eyes. His musky, woodsy scent filled her nose and tantalized her senses. Kagome blinked, and leaned forward. She had to have more of him: of his scent, of his eyes...she found herself leaning closer, closer, _closer_ …

“Higurashi.” A gruff voice brought her back to reality. “What in all the hells do you think you’re doing?”

Kagome blinked again and realized she was about five centimeters from his face. She snapped back and thrust the bag holding the ramen at him. 

“Here,” she murmured. “Try it.”

Inuyasha barked out a laugh. “Come on,” he said, taking her by the hand. His palm was warm, and rough...kind of exactly how she expected it to be. She let out a shiver; he caught it, and smirked silently.

He could tell in her scent….

She _wanted_ him.

Inuyasha led Kagome to a park bench, under the glowing lantern lights. They were strung in the trees above the thoroughfare, circling down towards the nearby shrine. Kagome felt like the world was shining, just for them. She sat down on the bench Inuyasha had found for them, settling the ramen on her lap. She opened it, and looked at him expectantly.

“Keh,” he said, settling next to her, “it don’t hold a candle to what I make.”

But he was lying. Because as soon as she opened the lid on the ramen, It was all Inuyasha could do to keep from letting out an eager rumble. She’d brought a bowl of that delectable seafood ramen; she held it out to him, and he accepted it—nonchalantly, he hoped.

“For you,” Inuyasha grumbled, returning the favor by handing her his own bowl of shio with chicken. Kagome accepted politely, her fingers brushing against his as the bowl exchanged hands. She shivered and hoped that he didn’t see.

“Now,” she said instead, her nose tingling at the salty scent of the shio, “I propose that we take a bite, together, on the count of three. And whoever is the most visibly moved by the ramen they eat? They’re the loser.”

Inuyasha smirked. He had an advantage here that Kagome didn’t. He could rely on his senses to tell whether or not Kagome was “visibly moved” by his ramen, and he was sure that he would be the one coming out of this little competition on top.

[ ](https://fawn-eyed-girl.tumblr.com/post/631434130747441152/it-was-love-at-first-bite-kagome-chapter-3)

Commissioned Artwork by [Nartista](https://nartista-digital.tumblr.com/)

* * *

“Ready?” Kagome asked him. He nodded, and smirked when she blushed a little. “Looks like you’re already ‘moved,’ Higurashi,” Inuyasha replied.

Kagome ignored him and took out her spoon. He chuckled and did the same.

“One.” They moved their spoons over the bowls.

“Two.” They dipped their spoons into the broth of their ramen, and raised their spoons to their lips. Kagome had caught a little chicken; Inuyasha had a little bit of squid on his spoon. Their eyes met: Inuyasha’s blazed a molten amber, taking in Kagome’s sparkling deep blue eyes. Their faces set, neither willing to concede.

“Three.” They opened their mouths, and allowed the soup to pour in.

Kagome immediately stifled a moan. It was the same shio with chicken she’d had way back at the very first festival where she tried his food, and it was just as good as it was then.

No, actually, hold up. It was _better_. Like this one he had made _just for her._

As she sipped the broth, she could hear Inuyasha’s gruff voice in the salty undertones of the soup. It was the voice he used when he yelled at his customers, rough and buttery, now caressing the deepest parts of her soul. Kagome savored the way the broth danced over her taste buds, both light and airy, and dark and daring. Like the two sides of a hanyou, fit together in a perfect, divine man. She found herself desperately wishing he’d turn that rough voice onto her, whispering all sorts of dirty things in her ear as his rough hands cupped her face. 

Then the chicken rolled across her tongue, and Kagome _moaned_. It reminded her of being at home, in winter, safe and warm. But now there was an additional element to that fantasy that she couldn’t quite place. She dipped back into the bowl, drawing out more chicken and broth, and with that, imagined Inuyasha’s strong arms gripping her tightly, pouring the love and the care that he’d put into his ramen into the way that he held her. The tenderness of the chicken, now melting in her mouth, matched the tenderness with which she just knew he would hold her, his face coming ever closer to hers....

And then, she took a second sip of the broth, and it was a soft, lingering kiss of salt and ginger against her lips, both pricking them and setting them aflame. Kagome nearly swooned as she pictured Inuyasha’s lips instead of the spoon, pressing against her softly, rough like his hands, but also rubbing against her own lips so gently. She opened her mouth to take in more of the soup, and she pictured his tongue finding its way inside, his taste just as salty as the broth, as his voice, as his hands. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back slightly, exposing the hollow of her throat as she swallowed, the lingering flavors exploding inside her, moving down and deep into her belly. She could almost feel his hands running down her arms and sliding softly across her...those strong hands that could work a cooktop so delicately.

That maybe, could work _her_ just as delicately.

Inuyasha noticed the spike in Kagome’s scent as she tasted his ramen, and he wanted to smirk—he really did—but then the hearty, rich broth of the miso seafood hit his tongue, and Inuyasha lost all sense of propriety. He closed his eyes, remembering how delectable the soup had been the last time he tasted it. This time, though, there was a depth to the broth that wasn’t there before. Perhaps it was a different bone broth, an added amount of dashi, or maybe…

It was the knowledge that Kagome had made this ramen for him. Especially for _him_. 

In the earthy taste of the broth, he could nearly detect the essence of rhubarb, being dug out of the earth. There was a sweetness to the broth he hadn’t noticed; he imagined Kagome, her soft, small hands, encircling his waist, drawing him close to her, just as the broth drew him in and held him tightly. There was an earthiness to her—he could see that now—she was warm, and inviting, and with just one sip, Inuyasha felt that he was _home._

And then the squid entered his mouth, and Inuyasha teased it with his fangs, enjoying the way he could take the meat apart. His mind drifted to Kagome, and her perfect, pearly skin that was just _begging_ for him to devour it—he wanted more than anything to know the gentle yielding of it under his pressure, to see the tender bruising as he nibbled and sucked and dragged his fangs over her body’s delicate surface.

 _Yes_. He longed to have her go to pieces in his arms. He longed to make her come apart, the way he could take apart the meat of the fish.

He filled his spoon with broth a second time, catching a bit of the ramen noodles themselves in the bowl with his chopsticks. Inuyasha allowed it to pour over his lips, savoring the saltiness of the soy sauce and the sweetness from the seafood meat. This dish _was_ Kagome: sassy and gentle, earthy and kind, and he pictured her lips ghosting over the places where the soup met his mouth. He imagined her breath, hot and light, and her tongue, pink and sexy, darting out to lap up the juices he had allowed to dribble slightly. He pictured himself, crushing her to him, drinking her in fully, feeling the soft swell of her breasts against his chest as he kissed her.

And then the noodles themselves! Inuyasha bit down, and the noodles bit back, springing up in resistance to his efforts. They were perfectly cooked—maybe more so even than his own—and again, he was reminded of Kagome’s body: seemingly soft, but with a firmness and a strength he found incredibly sexy. 

Inuyasha took a deep breath and turned his golden eyes to Kagome. Her own eyes were closed; her chest was heaving; his ears twitched as he picked up her breaths coming in short, quick gasps. Her scent was musky with her arousal. He set down his bowl gently on the bench, and took Kagome’s bowl away from her, too. Her eyes snapped open, bright blue and glazed over. 

“Inu—yasha?” she said hesitantly.

“I think that you win,” he said hoarsely. He took her hands in his. “I think that you win, and that I owe you a dinner.”

“But—” she said disbelievingly, “you didn’t even…”

“It’s the best fucking thing I’ve ever had in my life,” he countered, now slipping one hand up to tenderly cup her face. She couldn’t miss his meaning— _no_. 

He did not want her to miss his meaning.

That _she_ could be the best fucking thing he’d ever had.

Slowly, Inuyasha crossed the distance between them. He held her face firmly, yet gently. He wasn’t going to let her go. 

Kagome closed her eyes, and sighed, allowing herself to give in fully as Inuyasha pressed his lips to hers.

It was a kiss full of the salty earthiness of their dishes, of the passion they had for their cooking, and of the hope they had for the future. 

A future of hot, sizzling vegetables; of perfectly al dente noodles; of tender meat and fish; a future of them, together, standing over a cooktop, their bodies pressed together as they shared a vision—

Of making the _best_ ramen, together. Forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The [Nihonmitsu Lantern Festival](https://fukushima.travel/destination/nihonmatsu-lantern-festival/260) is held annually in Fukushima. It's about 3 hour drive for Inuyasha and Sango, and Kagome and Miroku, but the festival is really lovely and I knew it would be one that Kagome would be drawn to. 
> 
> And no recipes this time around! Kagome is drawing from her previous greatest hits: the seafood, the fish, and the roast chicken ramen. And Inuyasha, being the "old dog" that Sango thinks he is, sticks with the same three recipes 🤣
> 
> Finally...this was the original ending of the story, but "someone" requested an additional chapter, but I couldn't leave well enough alone, and so you are getting two! Chapters 4 and 5 will be live next Thursday, Oct. 15! And if you have noticed there is something missing from this story, you are right, and you will get it in the next chapter! Plus, the wonderful nartista has given you an Easter egg for Chapter 4. Can you guess what it is?? 🤔 🤔 😏
> 
> I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter! And as always, thanks so much for reading!


	4. Asakusa Tori no Ichi Festival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagome and Inuyasha make the perfect flavor combination with their ramen...and with each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters form the manga and/or anime. 
> 
> Hello everyone! Welcome to the next chapter of It Was Love at First Bite, Kagome! This is the chapter that earned this fic its E rating. Please heed the tags, and enjoy!

Typically, Kagome looked forward to the Tori no Ichi Matsuri. The last festival of the year that Aoi Nami would attend, one that emphasized good fortune, happiness, and success in business. But this year, Kagome didn’t need any of those things.

Nope, not when she had the hottest, grouchiest, most amazing ramen chef boyfriend that a girl could ask for.

Kagome shivered and pulled her coat around her more tightly as she got off the train at Ueno Station. Inuyasha’s apartment was only a 5-minute walk, but the wind cut through the buildings sharply, and she huddled into herself, her bags crinkling as they swayed in the breeze. She couldn’t help but smile as she thought about her cranky, sweet hanyou, who she just knew was up in his apartment, making her some delicious ramen, while she hoped that they’d have some time to _make something else_.

They hadn’t done much more than kiss—a few dates: coffee, drinks, a walk in the park here and there. Inuyasha kept saying that he owed her a dinner, but there were always reasons why they couldn’t get together. He worked late; Sango had a date with Miroku; Miroku had a date with Sango; Kagome had a chef’s conference in Osaka. Every week it seemed like a different reason they couldn’t find a time to make it work.

But now, it was November, and Kagome had made it such that it was impossible for him to deny her at this point. She talked to Sango, and made sure that there were enough people working at Kufuku no Inu that Inuyasha would be able to take a full night off. She talked with Miroku, and made sure that he had everything he needed to keep Aoi Nami running.

And she had something else that she wanted to discuss with Inuyasha that night. Beyond just dinner and maybe _hopefully_ a little something else.

When she reached his building, she looked up...and up...and up. She looked at her phone. The address was right, but this apartment building seemed...not quite what she was expecting? She had thought that he would live in a dilapidated kind of place. Something in a run-down neighborhood. Inuyasha didn’t care about material things...or so she thought.

Because this building was tall, and _modern_. And not like Inuyasha at all.

Kagome walked up to the lobby doors, and there was an actual doorman there! He looked at her expectantly, one eyebrow raised, his face twisted in disdain.

“I’m here to see Taisho Inuyasha?” she said hesitantly.

“And you are?” he said.

“Higurashi Kagome,” she replied. “I’m here for dinner.”

The doorman nodded. “Fifth floor,” he answered. “He’s expecting you.”

Kagome dipped her head in return and allowed the doorman to open the door for her. She walked into the lobby, and her mouth fell open in shock.

The lobby was massive, and marble, and like something out of a movie. Kagome’s heels clicked softly on the floor; she adjusted her bags and looked around her in awe.

How could Taisho Inuyasha, the grumpy hanyou who scowled and yelled at his customers, who refused to wear shoes, live _here_?

She found the elevator and pressed the knob. It dinged and opened, and she stepped inside, pressing the fifth floor button. As the door closed and the elevator went up, Kagome thought about Inuyasha, and about her proposition. She was hoping he would say yes. Would he say yes? Or would he freak out? She didn’t know. But she had to ask.

Because she wanted to be with him, all the time. And the way things were going, she didn’t know if their relationship would be sustainable. Not without some big changes. And she was all in— _she was all in_ , no matter what. But she saw more heartache than less if they didn’t have a conversation.

The elevator doors opened and Kagome stepped out into the hall. She remembered his apartment number—531—and began meandering down the hall, looking at the apartment numbers as she walked. The numbers were gradually getting higher, and at last Kagome found the right apartment.

Actually, she _heard_ the right apartment, before she saw it.

He was yelling and swearing about something, so loudly the entire hallway could probably hear it. She giggled and knocked on the door.

“Who the fuck is it?” he shouted, and threw the door open. “Ka—Kagome,” he panted, stepping back and allowing her in. “I—I’m sorry. I thought you were my asshole neighbor complaining about something.”

Kagome laughed and lifted her face up for a kiss; he returned the favor eagerly. “And which neighbor would that be?” she teased him lightly. “The one with the damn dog who won’t stop barking? Or the one who knocks on your door at all hours of the night, asking for soy sauce?”

“Keh,” he replied, taking her bags so she could shrug off her coat, “it could be any one of those fuckers. None of them like me.”

“And I wonder why?” she said, still teasing, slipping off her heels and putting them in the closet in the genkan, along with her coat.

“Who the fuck knows?” he commented. “Come on in.”

Kagome followed him eagerly into the apartment, her eyes just as wide as they had been in the lobby. The room was large, and bright, and airy—it was a one-room yoshitsu with a massive kitchen—maybe the biggest one Kagome had ever seen in an apartment. Inuyasha saw her eyes taking everything in, and he chuckled.

“Here,” he said, taking her hand, “come get a tour.”

The kitchen was glorious, and Kagome realized exactly why Inuyasha lived here. The cooktop had four burners; she’d never seen one so massive in an apartment. Under the gas jets was a convection oven, and below that Kagome could see what she assumed had to be a proofing drawer. Beside the cooktop was a thick-cut butcher block counter made of what Kagome thought was acacia, and a farmhouse sink; beside the sink there was a double-door stainless steel refrigerator with a bottom freezer drawer. Pots, pans, and wine glasses hung above the countertop opposite the appliances, which Kagome noticed was also made from acacia butcher block.

“I did a lot of work in here after I bought this place,” he said, almost ashamed. “I needed to have the perfect kitchen.”

“You definitely achieved it,” Kagome replied, running her hands over the butcher block counters admiringly.

“Keh,” he said again, but she could tell he was pleased. “Everything’s cooking,” he added, and brought her over to the cooktop. “Ramen’s done,” he continued, gesturing to the colander in the sink. “Broth is warming. I’m just cooking everything else up.”

“Do you want some help?” she asked.

Inuyasha looked at her, a little surprised. “I’d love some,” he told her. “Get some chopsticks, Higurashi. They’re in that drawer over there.”

Kagome shot him a look, but followed his gesture and pulled open a drawer. She removed a pair of chopsticks, and assumed the position beside him at the cooker.

Inuyasha paused, and took her in. She was gorgeous; had he told her that lately?

Probably not, because he was a grouchy, surly shit, and she was fucking perfect.

Her thick dark hair was pulled up into a messy bun, but there were soft curly tendrils escaping around her face. Her bright sapphire eyes shone up at him, waiting expectantly for directions. Her cheeks were beautifully flushed, from the transition of going from the cold outside to the warmth of his apartment. And her lips—those beautiful, Pink Lady apple lips—pursed up at him thoughtfully. She wore a red cropped sweater and dark jeans that showed off her peach-shaped ass beautifully. He found himself wondering if she would let him into those jeans later.

“Inuyasha?” she was asking, and _fuck_ , she was so enticing, he’d totally forgotten what he was supposed to be doing. He blinked.

“What?” he said. “Oh, here.” He took her by the waist and positioned her in front of the vegetables. “Can you stir-fry?” He blushed; her waist was so small, and tight, and perfect, under his hands. The edges of his fingers toyed with the edges of her sweater; he wanted so badly to run his hands up under the soft, knitted fabric, to feel if her skin was as soft as it looked, to feel if her breasts were as yielding as he imagined.

She laughed, and the spell was broken. “Of course, you baka,” she said affectionately. “Do I not run a ramen shop?”

“Fine,” he said. “You do the vegetables, and I’ll cook up the meat.”

“What are we having?” she asked interestedly.

He dropped some water onto the pan, and it prickled. He grinned. “Chicken,” he said. “I’ve been marinating it.”

She made a little “o” with her mouth—the one that he fucking adored—and he forgot how to make words. Instead he went to the refrigerator and got out the chicken, unwrapping it from the plastic. He dropped it onto the pan, and it sizzled and steamed and screamed as the soy sauce caramelized in the pan.

Kagome closed her eyes and inhaled. The scent of the soy sauce, the ginger, the garlic—it tantalized her senses and filled her with anticipation. He had just dropped the chicken in the pan, and holy _gods_ , already she was drooling. She turned her attention back to the vegetables—just onion at this point—and stirred expertly with the chopsticks, turning the onions over carefully and precisely.

Inuyasha watched her with interest, forgetting that he was supposed to be watching the chicken. Her fingers worked the chopsticks so nimbly, he couldn’t help but wonder what else she could do with them. He let out a low growl as he imagined them running down his chest, his stomach, down to his—

“Inuyasha?” she asked. “What else do you want me to add to this pan?”

He blinked, and looked down at her. Her sapphire eyes danced up at him playfully. “ _Is_ there something you _want_ , Inuyasha?” she asked again. “Should we add something to the onions, or not?”

Inuyasha wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close, her chopsticks clanging against the side of the pan. “What do you think, _Ka-Go-Me_?” he whispered, tucking her into his side and feeling her tense up with anticipation. “What else do you think we should be heating up in here?”

He felt her blush. “I...I…” _Me. I want you to heat me up so that I burst into flames._

That’s what she wanted to say.

“Here,” he said gruffly, reading her perfectly, “let me.” He reached across her so that she had to inhale his own musky scent, snagged the plate of bok choy, and held it out. He turned the plate over for her, the greens hissing as they met the heat of the pan. She was close enough that he could smell her delectable strawberry and rhubarb scent. It was tinged with ginger; _fuck_ , was she _aroused_?

He was so close to her—so close. He could feel her pressed up against him now; the softness of her sweater tickling his forearms, teasing him, bringing him even nearer to her...

“Inuyasha,” she murmured. “The chicken.”

“Fuck the chicken,” he said, tilting her head back and pressing his lips to hers.

 _Ah, fuck_. All sense of propriety and goodness and rightness went right out of his head when he kissed her. Normally her kisses were sweet, and gentle, and held him back, but tonight, there was something more in them that he couldn’t quite detect. There was a fierceness to her—it was like she _wanted_ him in a way that he suspected she wanted him before this, but now?

Now, he was _sure_.

“The _chicken_ , Inuyasha,” she whispered into his mouth.

“ _Fuck_!” he cursed; with one hand, he flipped the chicken. With the other, he yanked at her sweater.

“Inuyasha,” she said, “what about dinner?”

Inuyasha looked around wildly; the onions and bok choy were about done. The chicken? _Fuck_.

He _wanted_ her. He needed to cook the meal.

He _wanted_ her. He needed to watch the chicken.

She looked up at him, her eyes blinking and dark with desire.

“You could always...turn off the burner for now,” she suggested lightly.

“ _Fucking hell_ ,” he cursed. He _never_ abandoned a meal. Especially one he was proud of. But… he was _not_ going to turn down _that_ invitation. He turned off the burners on the cooktop, and swept her up into a searing kiss.

Kagome let out a loud, keening moan as his lips crushed into hers. She wrapped her arms around him eagerly and jumped up into his arms, Inuyasha grabbing her by the ass and squeezing, hard. He teased her lips with a fang, and Kagome opened her mouth eagerly, allowing his tongue in to taste her sweetness fully. He spun them around and they collided into the butcher block counter; he snarled softly as he explored every inch of her mouth, his hands lifting her gently and setting her onto the counter.

Gods, she tasted divine. Like ginger and candy and he suddenly knew that he would never be able to get enough of her. She pulled back slightly, and he let out a whine—he didn’t want to lose contact with her, for even a moment.

She giggled. “Hold on,” she said, and brought his hands around to the edges of her sweater. She blushed and looked up at him, suddenly shy. “Would you mind?” she asked.

“Fuck, yes,” he swore, and ran his hands along the hem. He gripped the sweater tightly, but even though his words were fierce, he was also just as bashful as Kagome in his desire.

Kagome took a deep breath in and let it out. “Do it, Inuyasha,” she said suddenly, harshly. He growled and yanked her sweater up over her head.

Gods, her bra! It was navy blue, and lacy, and he could see her dusky nipples poking out through the delicate floral pattern. He may have started panting at the sight of Kagome in her bra. He wanted to reach up, to touch her, so fucking badly…

“You can...you can touch me, Inuyasha,” she whispered.

He thrilled at the way she was repeating his name, over and over: how long had it been since he had heard it spoken so softly, so sensually? How long had it been since he had actually wanted to hear someone else call him by name? And not in his restaurant, where he was barking out orders and his employees were barking his name back at him, but instead, from a woman, a woman who adored him and for whom his name was next to god?

Inuyasha nearly cried with happiness as he ran his hands lightly along the bottom edge of her bra. He hands circled her breasts underneath the underwire, his fingers splaying lightly across the cups. The pads of his fingers brushed up against her nipples, and she let out a tiny moan of approval.

“Inuyasha,” she said. “ _Please_.”

“Please _what_ , Kagome?” he asked, leaning forward and kissing her lightly, his fingers now tweaking her nipples through her bra. She moaned more loudly and shoved her tongue into his mouth, caressing his fangs lightly, tangling her hands in his hair and pulling it hard. He reached behind her and unhooked her bra, letting it hang simply from her shoulders, allowing her to have her way with his mouth and his tongue.

Kagome moved her hands softly up to his ears. She’d been _dying_ to do this since the first time she met him, and now...now was the perfect time.

She caressed them so gently, so tenderly, running her fingers along the direction of the soft fur, tweaking the tips softly, then back down the other direction, finally massaging the fur and the skin at the base. He let out a loud growl against her mouth, and she growled right back, and he grabbed her bra straps and yanked them down, hard. He pulled himself away from her lips and took her in.

Kagome topless was _gorgeous_.

She had several scars criss-crossing her forearms that he knew were the results of cooking accidents—burns and cuts alike, he surmised—leaving delicate white and red lines dotting the pale pink skin. He took her hands in his, and reverently kissed each one. These were her battle scars, proof of her prowess in the kitchen, and he wanted to pay homage to them—to let her know—they were seen, and loved and _revered_.

That _she_ was seen, and loved.

Her breasts were round, and full, and creamy; he reached out and weighed them in his hands, working the flesh lightly, squeezing and rubbing them together in delight. He leaned forward and pressed his face between them, taking a moment to inhale her scent in the place where, for the moment, it was strongest. Her skin was soft there, and slightly sticky, slick with sweat and arousal. He ran his tongue along her sternum, desperate to taste her. Her skin was just as sweet as the rest of her, and he nearly cried again at how delectable she was.

Kagome bent forward and gripped him by the sides of his face. “Please,” she said, “please taste me here.” She turned him to her right breast; he growled and nuzzled her affectionately, rubbing his nose up against the soft tissue. His mouth sought out her nipple and latched on, working it with his tongue and bringing it to a hardened pebble. Her hands worked through his hair; his name dropped from her tongue, magical syllables that thrilled him and made him growl with pleasure. He nipped at her in response, and she giggled. “Other one, now, please,” she whispered, and he was only too happy to obey.

Her left breast was just as delicious as the right. He fit his mouth over that nipple and teased it out gently with his fangs; the claws on his left hand reaching up to continue working her right nipple with fervor. Her legs were now wrapped around him again; he could feel how hard he was, pressed up against her heated sex. He could smell her arousal, coming more forcefully through her clothing.

“Kagome,” he panted, “I need you. I need you.”

“Inuyasha,” she whispered, her face now buried in his hair, her tongue licking his ears delicately, “I want you to take me. Now.”

“Here?” he murmured, now pressing her breasts up against his face and growling against them fiercely.

“N—fucking _now_ ,” she hissed. Her hands went down to the fly of her pants, and she unbuttoned them. “Help me,” she ordered, and he was all too glad to oblige her. Kagome lifted her hips, and Inuyasha slipped both her pants and her undies over her hips, down her thighs, and onto the floor. Kagome scooted back a bit and opened up her legs.

“What do you think has a better scent?” she asked him playfully. “Your ramen...or me?”

Inuyasha lowered his face into her soft hairs at the apex of her thighs and inhaled. _Fuck_. Delicious. Like spicy ginger and a hint of citrus, mixed with her regular strawberry and rhubarb scent. It was going straight to his dick. Kagome let out a tiny moan, and then growled as he stood up and walked away.

“Where...where are you going?” she asked faintly.

“You wanted to know what smells better, right?” he said to her seriously. “You, or the ramen?” He turned the burner off under the broth and lifted the pot up.

“I—I didn’t mean exactly—“ she faltered.

“Oh,” Inuyasha replied, “ya did, and we’re gonna put this to the test.” He slammed the pot down next to her, its contents sloshing over the sides a bit. He pulled open one of the drawers below the countertop and took out a spoon.

“Now,” he said firmly, “first, the smell.” And he leaned over the pot, inhaling the gentle saltiness of the broth. He hadn’t overdone the flavor; the chicken was marinated, and would add to the broth’s dimensions once they were combined. So now, he caught the faint hint of salt, dashi, mushroom, scallion. The bones from the chicken made the broth rich and earthy, just like he knew Kagome liked it. But…

“It’s fine,” he said, “but something is missing.” He dipped his spoon into the broth and drew it out slowly, his amber eyes watching her the entire time. Kagome was blushing, but he found she was watching him intently, too. He reached out with his tongue and gently tasted the broth, taking it into his mouth and swirling it around.

“Yes, Kagome,” he commented lightly, “something is missing.” He scooped out a little more broth with his spoon. “I think that something is you.” He leaned over her, and dribbled the contents of the spoon over her neck, watching with a heated gaze as the broth slowly traveled over her collarbones, down her sternum, and towards her breasts.

“Inu—yasha!” she exclaimed. “What in _all the hells_ are you doing?”

“Hush, woman,” he grunted impatiently, continuing to ladle out the broth and pour it over her body, “I’m making perfection here.”

Kagome hissed, and tried to look annoyed, but she really couldn’t. Because the warmth of the broth was tickling her skin, heating her up from the inside. She could feel how slick she was becoming, from the oil and the grease of the bones, from the savoriness of the vegetables, and _fuck_ , if it wasn’t turning her on even more. She pawed at the counter and let out a whine.

Inuyasha chuckled again and set down the spoon momentarily. “All right,” he said, his voice deep and dark, “let’s see how it tastes now.” He took the flat of his tongue and ran it upwards, from right between her breasts and up the hollow of her throat. And _yes_ , fucking _yes_ —

“Much, much better,” he growled, pressing his fangs into her neck. “You smell so fucking divine. You’re the best plate for my dishes, woman.” He rumbled against her chest, his desire for her quickly escalating to where he would not be able to bring it back down until he fucked her, _hard_.

Kagome. He knew now.

It was always Kagome, and it would always be Kagome.

In a flash his t-shirt was off; Kagome salivated at the sight of Inuyasha shirtless. As she had expected, he was well-muscled: his biceps sculpted, his pecs well defined, his abs cut. Kagome knew: years of cooking—mixing, stirring, and creating—had created a god on earth. On his right side, he had a beautiful, twisting tattoo of strawberry vines and blossoms; they circled his shoulder and ran down his bicep. The vines twisted elegantly around a chef’s knife with a furry hilt that Kagome found both fascinating (it reminded her of a _fang_?) and endlessly sexy. The darkness of the outlines contrasted against his golden skin, making the knife and the blossoms gleam. Kagome may have actually started to drool when he saw it; Inuyasha saw where she was looking and chuckled.

“Like what you see?” he teased her.

“I want you naked, Inuyasha,” she ordered him. “Now.”

“With pleasure,” he said, and approached her slowly. Kagome reached out and unbuttoned his jeans, her fingers toying with the waistband softly before she tugged it down over his hips. She felt the soft cotton of his boxer briefs, and dragged them along with his jeans. He helped her once his pants got too far down his legs for her to effectively use her hands; she tucked her feet into his pants and pushed, helping along as best she could. Inuyasha stepped out of his jeans, and stood up fully, grinning at her, one fang poking out beneath his bottom lip.

“Now, Ka-Go-Me,” he teased her, “do you like what _you_ see?”

And she didn’t have to answer. He already knew.

“Come _here_ ,” she panted, and kissed him, hard, drawing his body flush with hers.

The feeling of him pressed up against her was nearly too much, and Kagome let out a soft cry of want into his mouth. Inuyasha ran his claws delicately along her back, feeling her shiver as he caressed her lightly. Her breasts felt so good against his chest; his cock pulsed against her soft stomach. He wanted to be inside her already, so much, but as her tongue probed his mouth, he knew that he didn’t care how long it took for them to get there; he was here for as long as she needed to get ready. But when Kagome’s own nails began digging into his back, he growled, and pulled back from her lips. His eyes fixed on them for a moment, golden and blazing, before he locked his jaw onto her neck, his fangs pressing into her soft skin—not so much as for him to mark her, but definitely enough for him to leave a hickey when he sucked. Her own sweet taste, combined with the taste and the fucking feel of the broth—it was almost too much.

“Inuyasha,” she whispered, and he left her neck and dragged his fangs down her body—over her breasts, down her belly, and down to the hairs at the juncture of her thighs. She opened her legs even wider and leaned back, resting her hands on the counter.

“Kagome,” he murmured, and ran his claws delicately along her left inner thigh, across the apex of her sex, and down her right thigh. She shivered again and offered him a tiny growl to let him know what she wanted. He laughed.

“Patience, koishii,” he teased, and she huffed, lifting her hips, demanding that he give her what she desired. “First,” he said, “I need to know here, too.” His eyes darkened. “How do you taste? Without, and with, my broth?”

Kagome let out another annoyed-but-not-really sound as he pressed his face into her and inhaled. There it was again: spicy ginger, the citrus more pronounced, orange, hints of lemon and lime.

Goddammit, she was like a goddamn Ramune drink.

“Perfection,” he breathed, drawing his face away from her pussy with an audible sigh. “But let’s see if we can make it even better.”

“How do you make perfection better, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked him breathily.

Inuyasha picked up the spoon again and ladled out some broth. He held the spoon over her curls and offered her a fanged, dusky grin.

“Like this,” he said, and poured the broth all over her already dripping sex.

Kagome cried out, but not from the heat of the broth. Well, okay, it _was_ from the heat, but only because it gripped her so tightly she felt her insides immediately grow taut and coiled. He took a second helping of broth and poured that over her, too, taking his time and enjoying her writhing on the countertop.

“ _Inu-ya-sha_ ,” she hissed.

He teased the lips of her pussy with one hand, his claws playing with her, working her over. The slickness of the broth mixed with the slickness of her desire, and he was rock-hard and ready to go. “First,” he said, “first, I have got to taste you. See if, again, you were just what was missing.”

“Then fucking do it already, Inuaysha,” she said harshly. “Put your mouth on me, _please_.”

So he did. He pressed his mouth up against her clit, and he sucked, hard, the juices from the broth combining with the juices already weeping from her slit.

“Oh, _fuck_ ,” he swore harshly, “this is fucking it. My fucking goldmine, right here.” He drew back just enough to look her fully in the face; her cheeks were flushed and her breasts were heaving. He grinned, his mouth damp from the taste of the broth and of _her_. “Too bad I’m the only one who will ever get to enjoy this delectable flavor, though I don’t think I mind keeping this recipe a secret that’s just for me.” And he pressed his face back into her sex.

Kagome howled and twisted her hips into his face. He hissed and nipped at her lightly; she growled, but settled her hips down, wrapping her legs around his neck, drawing him in more closely. Inuyasha took this as his opportunity to inhale fiercely; her scent down here was deep, and dark, and, combined with the earthiness of the ramen broth, made him heady and crazy with lust. He ran his tongue along her aching, dripping opening, tasting her and his broth together, his mind fleeing to places previously unknown. Who knew Kagome and ramen would be so perfect together?

Him. He fucking knew. Because he had the best damn palate in all of Tokyo, and he never got a flavor combination wrong.

Inuyasha settled back on her tiny bundle of nerves and began to work it over, teasing and twisting and swirling it. He ran his claws up her thighs again, then took his fingers and inserted one, then another, inside of her.

 _Fuck_. She was impossibly hot, and tight, and already so wet for him. Her walls were soft and pulsing; he nearly blew his load just feeling her around his fingers. He needed to get inside her, but first he had to make sure he made her feel as good as—no, _better than_ —he was feeling.

“Kagome,” he said into her clit, and she shivered at the way his voice rumbled against her. She tried to yank him even closer with her legs, but he chuckled and began to work his fingers inside her, feeling all of her: her tender button growing larger and harder, and her insides pulling him up and in. Kagome began to feel that coil growing in the bottom of her belly, more heated, more tense, more tight. She _needed_ it to burst; she needed to cum.

“Inuyasha,” she moaned. “I _need_ it, _please_.”

“Then you’ll have it,” he whispered, and thrust his fingers inside her harshly as he worked her tiny bundle of nerves even more furiously with his tongue. The world exploded for Kagome as she finally found her orgasm, her sweet nectar spilling out of her, Inuyasha eagerly lapping it all up. She mixed with the juices from his broth even more, and he reveled in how delicious she tasted. He sprang up, suddenly more lively and more congenial than he’d been in months, his mouth and his heart full of his girl and his ramen broth. And honestly? He’d never been happier.

“Now,” he said amiably, lifting her hips and holding her close, “do you think you can go a little bit more?”

“Oh,” she replied, nuzzling his neck while she reached down and grabbed his cock, “I can go a _lot_ more.” She looked up at him. “Condom?” she asked.

He grunted. “Condom,” he agreed, and opened a drawer to their right, pulling out a wrapper. “I had— _a feeling_ —we might be doing this here,” he explained sheepishly when she raised her eyebrows at him. She giggled and yanked him close for a kiss again, Inuyasha fumbling as he removed the condom and rolled it fluidly down his cock.

Kagome reached down again and gripped him harshly. She lined him up against her entrance. “Ready?” she asked him, light dancing in her eyes.

He nodded. “You?”

She nodded. “Please,” she whispered, and thrust her hips forward as he pressed into her.

Kagome let out a loud cry as he entered her. He was so big—or she was so tight—or maybe it was both— _fuck_ , whatever was happening, he felt fucking amazing. She grabbed him by the waist with her legs and pulled him close to her, sitting up fully and wrapping her arms around his neck, resting her forehead against his. “You feel—incredible,” she whispered.

“Oh, gods, Kagome,” he panted, “you feel fucking insane.” And she did. She was so hot he could feel her heat through the latex. All he wanted to do was fuck the shit out of her, but he knew that he should go slow the first time, and resist his youkai sensibilities (as hard as that was). He pulled her a little bit closer, so that just the edges of her ass rested on the counter; this gave him a better angle to work her over. He reached around and cupped her ass with one hand, lifting her just enough off the table to give some leverage. She rolled her hips up, and he began to press into her again, leisurely, gently, allowing them time to grow used to each other as they found their rhythm. Inuyasha let out a little growl as he drove into her, tenderly yet firmly, Kagome making little mewling sounds as he reached into her deeply. She felt soft, and warm, and inviting; he just wanted to live in this moment for as long as possible.

He wanted to live in _her_ , for _her_ , with _her_.

“Inuyasha,” she said, kissing him richly, “harder, Please.”

 _What_?

She lifted her hips again up into him. “Harder,” she repeated. “I _need_ you.”

The little whine in her voice made him chuckle. “If you want harder,” he said, “we gotta change your position.” She hummed an agreement as he pulled out of her and helped her down from the counter. Kagome turned around and rested her elbows on the counter, then looked at him coquettishly from over her shoulder. She wiggled her ass.

“Harder,” she said.

He let out a howl and ran his hands over her ass. “Harder,” he agreed, and drove into her deeply, both of them groaning at the change in the angle.

Inuyasha gripped her hips and begin to fuck her fiercely now, his instincts starting to take over. Her ass felt soft, and it rippled each time his groin smacked against it. He leaned over her, running his tongue along her spine, tasting her, tasting the dribbles of ramen broth, greasy and warm and mixed with her sweat, pushing up into her now as he thrust. The way that their bodies fit together—how Inuyasha curved against her spine, how his cock filled her so completely, how he wrapped her up in a warm, protective cocoon—made them both realize: _they_ were the perfect combination. _They_ were a flawless _mix_ of spices, of juices, of flavors: the perfect dish. His tongue lapped up the sweat that was dripping down her back: sweet, and spicy, and only for him to enjoy. 

Inuyasha and Kagome: the epitome of zest, the fulfillment of every one of the other’s desires, their hopes, and their dreams. They thought it was ramen they wanted to create, shape, and love, but in reality, they wanted this of each other.

The ramen? A pleasing side dish cultivated in the process of falling in love. 

Kagome ground her hips back into his to increase the pressure, bringing him back to reality. He drove his cock into her more deeply; they both moaned as he bottomed out inside her. So. Incredibly. Perfect.

Gods, would he ever get tired of fucking her? Could he?

No. He knew in that moment. He never would.

Fuck. Whatever she wanted—wherever she went—he knew, he fucking _knew_ , he would follow her.

Because she was his good fortune; she was his happiness.

Kagome was his _home_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For more on the festival that Kagome is NOT attending, Asakusa's Tori no Ichi Festival, because she has much better things to do, click [here](https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-asakusa/article-a0000687/).
> 
> And for the ramen recipe that Inuyasha _planned_ to make for Kagome, click [here](https://www.theflavorbender.com/easy-homemade-chicken-ramen/)!


	5. Epilogue: The Best Ramen Shop in Tokyo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Six months later...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, or any of the characters from the manga and/or anime.

“That’s two more shoyu with pork, and two more miso seafood!” Sango yelled, hanging the ticket on the passthrough. 

Kagome grabbed it and brought it over to Inuyasha. “You wanna prep the miso seafood?” she asked him, her eyes sparkling. 

Inuyasha grunted and grabbed the ticket from her. “Keh,” he said, holding the ticket away as he kissed her, “you know that I’ll only ever make that for you.”

“And only because I know just how to...convince you,” she countered, that sparkle still in her eyes.

Inuyasha handed her back the ticket, and poured more oil in the pan to let it heat up. He watched Kagome bustle about the kitchen, shouting through the passthrough at Miroku and Sango, and he had to allow himself a moment to smile.

It had been six months since Kagome convinced him that they should go into business together, closing both their shops and opening a new one in Tsukiji. The local fisherman that Kagome knew cut her an excellent deal, and then connected her with other fishermen. Ultimately, Inuyasha and Kagome decided to open a BYOB ramen shop that served almost exclusively seafood. Inuyasha insisted that they still carry the staples—pork, chicken, tofu, and beef—but all their specialty dishes were seafood focused, the highlight being Kagome’s miso seafood ramen. (Although, Kagome enjoyed when _he_ made it for _her_ , and she would spend hours both convincing and thanking him, by surprise, in various parts of the house. The fact that he seemed to have condoms hidden all over his apartment was both a blessing and hilarious in this regard.)

Almost immediately, the shop—they decided to keep the name of Kufuku no Inu—was a huge success. Reviewers from all the big media outlets in Tokyo were coming to try their food, and they were getting rave reports in all the newspapers, magazines, and on social media. Inuyasha grumbled about the reporters, but Kagome handled it all in stride, offering taste tests and interviews like she’d been doing this all her life.

The work was hard, and the hours were long, but getting to spend all day, everyday, with his most favorite person in the world? 

Getting to wake up with her in the morning, make love before breakfast (sometimes more than once), spend all day together in a kitchen, then come home and make love some more, and then hold her in his arms as she fell asleep? Listening to her heartbeat and her breathing? Smelling her warm strawberry-rhubarb scent, all day, every day, for the rest of their lives?

It made it all worth it.

And now, he watched as she came to his side, a colander of shrimp in her hands, and a joyful expression on her face. And he knew. Slimy, raw shrimp and all, he loved her. 

He loved her _so_ much.

“Aww, Inuyasha,” Kagome said, standing on tiptoe and kissing his cheek, “I love you too.”

Inuyasha grumbled affectionately at her. “You know, Kagome,” he said, nuzzling her hair with his nose, “you know that we now have the best ramen shop in Tokyo.”

“I’ll make ramen with you forever, Inuyasha,” she murmured, lifting her face to his for a kiss. “So long as you admit that mine is better than yours.”

“Not a fucking chance in hell,” he whispered against her lips. “How about we have a little contest tonight after we close to see whose ramen is better?”

Kagome’s eyes glinted; her scent spiked with her arousal. “Oh,” she whispered back, “you are fucking _on_.”

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of our journey (for now) into the world of It Was Love at First Bite! I truly hope that you have all enjoyed this story, as much as I have enjoyed bringing it to you! And who knows? There may at some point be more competition moving into Tsukiji, and Inuyasha and Kagome may just have to be ready.... 😉 
> 
> As a side note, if you have enjoyed reading an InuKag story about food, I highly recommend Laeoukka's wonderful [The Fifth Flavor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26047084/chapters/63343312)! And a special thanks to her, and to everyone else, who read this story in draft form and gave thoughtful and constructive feedback along the way. You are all amazing, and I love and appreciate you.
> 
> And thanks again to all of you for reading! I would not be here without YOU 💖 💖


End file.
